1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector having a dual terminal-fastening structure where a terminal ms not only caught by a resilient terminal-engaging arm formed within a terminal chamber but also by a terminal fastener fitted into the terminal chamber.
2. Prior Art
FIGS. 7A and 7B show a prior art connector having a dual terminal-fastening structure.
A housing a is formed with an upper row and a lower row of terminal chambers b therein. Each of the terminal chambers has a resilient fastening arm d that prevents a terminal in the chamber from moving out of the chambers in the direction opposite to the direction in which the terminal is inserted. This resilient fastening arm d is usually quite limited in physical dimension because the connector is miniaturized and a large number of terminals are housed in the connector. The fastening arm d tends to have less terminal-fastening effect. Thus, a terminal fastener e is provided to increase terminal-fastening effect. The upper wall of the housing a is formed with a window f1 therein and the partition wall a2 is formed with a window f2 therein. The windows f1 and f2 are aligned with each other as shown in FIG. 7A. FIG. 7B shows a terminal fastener e being inserted into the housing a. The terminal fastener e is inserted into the housing a so that the engagement portion e1 of the terminal-fastener e engages a shoulder c1 of a terminal c, as shown in FIG. 7B, cooperating with the resilient fastening arm d to effect dual fastening.
The prior art dual fastening structure shown in FIG. 7 requires a hole, i.e., the window f2 in the partition a2 through which the terminal-fastener e is inserted. Thus, the wall cannot rigidly support the support portion d1 of the resilient fastening arm. Thus, the resilient fastening arm is often subjected to a tensile stress due to tensile forces exerted on the wires crimped to the terminals. This tensile stress results in damages to the support portion d1, losing one of the terminal-fastening effects.